Mounting means for operator of electric switch



March 22, 1966 R. G. MILLER 3,242,298

MOUNTING MEANS FOR OPERATOR OF ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept. 17, 1962United States Patent 3,242,298 MOUNTING MEANS FOR OPERATOR OF ELECTRICSWITCH Richard G. Miller, Cudahy, Wis., assignor to Cutler Hammer, Inc.,Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 17, 1962, Ser.No. 224,085 3 Claims. (Cl. 200172) This invention relates to manuallyoperated electric switches and more particularly to slide operatingmechanisms therefor.

It is an object of this invention to provide a manually operatedelectric switch with a slide button operator which may be assembledsecurely to the operating mechanism of the switch more quickly andeasily than has heretofore been possible.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a slide buttonoperator with an integral resilient member for snap connection of theslide button to the interior operating mechanism of the switch andretention of the slide button in operating position on the exterior ofthe switch housing.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent upon reference to thefollowing description and claims.

While the device hereinafter described is adapted to fulfill the objectsstated, it is to be understood that it is not intended that theinvention be confined to the particular preferred embodiment disclosed,since it is susceptible of various modifications without departing fromthe scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of the exterior of a slide buttonoperated electrical switch which embodies the invention hereinafterdescribed and claimed;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the exterior of the switch;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a disassembled member showing details ofthe operating mechanism;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of another member removed from the assemblyand inverted to show certain details; and

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the underside of the switch operatingmember.

Referring to the drawings, the switch housing 10 includes a base 12, theconstruction of which is more completely described in Patent No,2,942,087, issued to G. J. Meuer, dated June 21, 1960, for a triggertype switch employing a similar base member. Two stationary contacts 14are mounted in base 12, and a movable bridging contact 16 is retained byand vertically slidable within a recess in the lower face of ahorizontally reciprocable contact carrier 18. A compression spring 20biases movable contact 16 downwardly to insure sufficient contactpressure. 1

A cover 22 made of resilient plastic material has integrally molded tabs24 extending from its ends for the purpose of mounting the switch.Openings 26 in the walls of the cover 22 snap over rectangularprojections 28 on the sides of base 12 to secure cover 22 to base 12.

The switch is made snap-acting by providing cam surfaces 30 on theinterior of opposite resilient walls of the plastic cover 22 upon whichprojections 32 on the sides of carrier 18 ride. Each cam surface has apeaked center 34 and is integrally molded into the flexible cover wallso that when the carrier 18 is reciprocated, the projections 32 ride upon the center peak of the cams which flexes the cover cam carrying wallsoutwardly. As the projections 32 ride over the peaked cams, theoutwardly flexed cover walls return to their normal position with a lCCsnap thereby snapping the carrier to either an on or oil position. Thisprovides a relatively quick make or break of the circuit and gives aproper feel to the switch.

The top outer surface of cover 22 is formed with a shallow substantiallyrectangular depression 36 to slidably accommodate the slide buttonoperator 38 and restrain the slide button from rotation or transversemovement. In the center of depression 36 there is an opening 40 throughwhich passes a square projection 42 on the top of contact carrier 18.Opening 40 is elongated to accommodate the reciprocatory movement ofprojection 42.

Slide button operator 38 is molded of resilient plastic material and hasa concave transversely grooved upper surface to provide an easilyengaged surface for manual operation. The slide button 38 is fastened tothe contact carrier 18 by coaction of a ball 44 on the bottom of theslide and a socket 46 formed by a circumferential ridge 48 inside theupper end of a cylindrical aperture passing vertically through carrier18 and the center of projection 42. The ball 44 is formed on a shortstem 50 extending from the lower surface of slide button 38. A slot 52is molded in ball 44 to increase its flexibility and thereby facilitatethe insertion of ball 44 into socket 46.

The parts of the present switch are designed to facilitate assembly.After positioning the interior members of the switch, cover 22 ispressed into place so that it snaps into engagement with base 12. Theslide button operator 38 is then aligned with depression 36 and fastenedto the switch by simply pressing ball 44 into socket 46. The slot 52 andthe resiliency of the plastic material of the slide button 38 allow ball44 to contact and pass through the constriction formed by ridge 48 andto expand with a snap in the interior of a socket 46 to hold slidebutton 38 in place. The slide button 38 may be removed from the assemblyby reversing the process without damage to either ball 44 or socket 46.

I claim:

1. In combination in an electric switch, a housing, a stationarycontact, a movable contact, a contact carrier interior to said housingfor moving said movable contact into and out of engagement with saidstationary contact, a slide button operator exterior to said housing andfastening to said contact carrier, an opening in said housing throughwhich said contact carrier communicates with said slide button operator,and means for fastening said slide button operator to said contactcarrier comprising an elastically compressible ball member mounted onsaid slide button operator, a socket in said contact carrier with arestricted opening, said ball member being insertable by elasticdeformation through said restricted opening to expand in the interior ofsaid socket to engage the interior of said restricted opening and bethereby retained in said socket.

2. The invention as described in claim 1, wherein said ball member has aslot to make said ball member more yieldable and more easily insertedinto said socket.

3. In combination in an electric switch, a housing, a stationarycontact, a movable contact, a contact carrier interior to said housingand reciprocatorily movable between operating positions for moving saidmovable contact into and out of engagement with said stationary contact, a slide button operator exterior to said housing and fastened tosaid contact carrier, an opening in said housing through which saidcontact carrier communicates with said slide button operator, and meansfor fastening said slide button operator to said contact carrier throughsaid aperture comprising an elastically compressible member mounted onsaid slide button operator, a socket in said contact carrier with arestricted opening, said member being insertable in a directiontransverse to the direction of movement of said carrier by elasticdeformation through said restricted opening to expand in the interior ofsaid socket to engage the interior of said restricted 2,664,458 12/1953Rapata 24208 opening and be thereby retained in said socket. 2,717,7929/ 1955 Pelley 3082 2,921,808 1/1960 David 287--12 References Cited bythe Examiner 3,059,292 1 1962 Harris 24208 UNITED STATES PATENTS 53,160,731 12/ 1964 Gernmell 200-167 2,100,642 11/ 1937 Geyer 74-473KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner, 2,441,924 5/1948 Stein a k 200-172BERNARD A. GILHEANY, ROBERT K. SCHAEFER,

2,610,879 9/1952 Pope 24 -214 Exam-"m

1. IN COMBINATION IN AN ELECTRIC SWITCH, A HOUSING, A STATIONARYCONTACT, A MOVABLE CONTACT, A CONTACT CARRIER INTERIOR TO SAID HOUSINGFOR MOVING SAID MOVABLE CONTACT INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAIDSTATIONARY CONTACT, A SLIDE BUTTON OPERATOR EXTERIOR TO SAID HOUSING ANDFASTENING TO SAID CONTACT CARRIER, AN OPENING IN SAID HOUSING THROUGHWHICH SAID CONTACT CARRIER COMMUNICATES WITH SAID SLIDE BUTTON OPERATOR,AND MEANS FOR FASTENING SAID SLIDE BUTTON OPERATOR TO SAID CONTACTCARRIER COMPRISING AN ELASTICALLY COMPRESSIBLE BALL MEMBER MOUNTED ONSAID SLIDE BUTTON OPERATOR, A SOCKET IN SAID CONTACT CARRIER WITH ARESTRICTED OPENING, SAID BALL MEMBER BEING INSERTABLE BY ELASTICDEFORMATION THROUGH SAID RESTRICTED OPENING TO EXPAND IN THE INTERIOR OFSAID SOCKET TO ENGAGE THE INTERIOR OF SAID RESTRICTED OPENING AND BETHEREBY RETAINED IN SAID SOCKET.